Pumped cooling system in gas detector

Abstract

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for dissipating heat within a gas detector. A gas detector may comprise an airflow generator configured to generate a sample gas flow through the gas detector; a sample gas flow line configured to direct the sample gas flow within a housing of the gas detector from an inlet of the gas detector toward an outlet of the gas detector; a sensor, in fluid communication with the airflow generator via the sample gas flow line, configured to detect one or more potentially hazardous gases within the sample gas flow; and a heat sink, in fluid communication with the airflow generator and positioned after the sensor along the sample gas flow line, configured to transfer heat from an interior of the housing to the sample gas flow, wherein the sample gas flow is directed out of the housing via the outlet of the gas detector.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A gas detector comprising:
 a housing configured to contain elements of the gas detector; 
 an airflow generator located within the housing and configured to generate a sample gas flow through the gas detector; 
 a sample gas flow line configured to direct the sample gas flow within the housing of the gas detector from an inlet of the gas detector toward an outlet of the gas detector; 
 a sensor, located within the housing and in fluid communication with the airflow generator via the sample gas flow line, configured to detect one or more potentially hazardous gases within the sample gas flow; and 
 a heat sink, located within the housing in fluid communication with the airflow generator and positioned after the sensor along the sample gas flow line, configured to transfer heat from an interior of the housing to the sample gas flow, wherein the sample gas flow is directed out of the housing via the outlet of the gas detector. 
 
     
     
       2. The gas detector of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more electronic elements located within the housing, wherein the one or more electronic elements generate heat when operated. 
     
     
       3. The gas detector of  claim 2 , wherein the heat sink is located adjacent to one or more of the electronic elements. 
     
     
       4. The gas detector of  claim 1 , wherein the airflow generator comprises a pump. 
     
     
       5. The gas detector of  claim 1 , further comprising insulation of the heat sink, preventing the sample gas flow from escaping the heat sink into the interior of the housing. 
     
     
       6. The gas detector of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface configured to display sensed data from the sensor. 
     
     
       7. The gas detector of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink is located within a top portion of the housing. 
     
     
       8. The gas detector of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink is positioned between the sensor and the outlet, along the sample gas flow line. 
     
     
       9. The gas detector of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink comprises an inlet, an outlet, a plurality of channels located between the inlet and the outlet, and a plurality of ducts connecting the plurality of channels. 
     
     
       10. The gas detector of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink is a passive heatsink. 
     
     
       11. A method for dissipating heat from an interior of a gas detector, the method comprising:
 generating a sample gas flow through the gas detector via an airflow generator from an inlet of the gas detector toward an outlet of the gas detector; 
 testing, by a sensor within the gas detector, the sample gas flow for one or more potentially hazardous gases; 
 after testing the sample gas flow by the sensor, directing the sample gas flow toward an inlet of a heat sink located within a housing of the gas detector; 
 transferring heat from an interior of the housing to the sample gas flow via the heat sink; and 
 directing the sample gas flow out of the gas detector via the outlet of the gas detector. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising communicating sensed data from the sensor to a user interface; and displaying, by the user interface, the sensed data to a user. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising detecting, by the sensor, one or more potentially hazardous gases within the sample gas flow. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising adjusting a flow rate of the sample gas flow based on a desired heat transfer via the heat sink. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising preventing the sample gas flow from escaping from the heat sink into the interior of the housing of the gas detector. 
     
     
       16. A gas detector comprising:
 an inlet configured to receive a sample gas flow; 
 an outlet configured to exhaust the sample gas flow from the gas detector; 
 an airflow generator configured to generate the sample gas flow through the gas detector from the inlet toward the outlet; 
 a sensor in fluid communication with the airflow generator, configured to detect one or more potentially hazardous gases within the sample gas flow; and 
 a heat sink in fluid communication with the airflow generator, positioned between the sensor and the outlet in a direction of the sample gas flow, and configured to transfer heat from an interior of the gas detector to the sample gas flow. 
 
     
     
       17. The gas detector of  claim 16 , further comprising a sample gas flow line in fluid communication with the inlet, the outlet, the airflow generator, the sensor, and the heat sink, and configured to direct the sample gas flow within a housing of the gas detector. 
     
     
       18. The gas detector of  claim 16 , further comprising a housing configured to contain elements of the gas detector, wherein the inlet receives the sample gas flow into the housing, and wherein the outlet directs the sample gas flow out of the housing. 
     
     
       19. The gas detector of  claim 16 , wherein the heat sink comprises an inlet, an outlet, a plurality of channels located between the inlet and the outlet, and a plurality of ducts connecting the plurality of channels. 
     
     
       20. The gas detector of  claim 16 , wherein the sample gas flow contains one or more potentially hazardous gases.